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Laila Tkotz, KIT
“I’m in Love with My Studies!”
Defne Çelik has been awarded the 2026 DAAD Prize, honoring outstanding academic achievements and an exemplary dedication to supporting international students. When she heard the news, she was left speechless. In clicKIT, the student talks about her journey to KIT, her experiences, and her motivation to help others.
While on vacation at her parents’ home in Turkey, Defne Çelik doesn’t answer the call from Germany right away: A phone number from KIT can only mean she has to answer some question about her studies or from the International Students Office. So she grabs her résumé, prepares herself for precise questions, and calls back. But she couldn’t have been more wrong: On the phone, the 23-year-old learns that she has won the 2026 German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Prize. She is completely taken aback: “I’ve always been a good student, but I haven’t done anything special.”
The jury sees it quite differently. Their statement is nothing short of effusive: “exceptionally dedicated,” “excellent bachelor’s thesis,” “exceptional talent.” The DAAD particularly commends her commitment to the International Students Office at KIT. Defne was part of a webinar series for Turkish high school students; she helped newly admitted international students navigate their academic journey; and she is “always there to offer advice and support” to fellow students from all over the world - on a voluntary basis, of course.
Reality Check: Lectures
Now in her third semester of the master’s program in Chemical and Process Engineering, Defne arrived at KIT in 2021, straight from her hometown of Izmir. She learned German as a first foreign language in school; since KIT offered educational programs there, it was an obvious choice for her to come to Karlsruhe: “Ever since I was a child, I’ve always wanted to do research and earn a Ph.D. In Turkey, I knew I couldn’t do that, so Germany become my goal.”
Despite her strong language skills, the reality check upon arrival was harsh: “Grammar and school vocabulary are different from math or chemistry terms. In the first semester, I didn’t understand anything in class. In lectures, I had Google Translate open on my phone in one hand and a pen in the other just trying to take notes. On top of that, I had to find an apartment, open a bank account, meet new people… That was very difficult.”
Turning Struggles Into Purpose
From this experience, Defne draws the motivation to get involved with others and make their path a little easier, including through her commitment to the International Students Office: “I take part in campus tours, explain what you need to do at the immigration office, or tell people about the services available here.”
After five years in Karlsruhe, the student has built her new life here and can focus on her passion in her studies: thermodynamics with a focus on cryogenics. “I see myself as a nerd – I’m in love with my studies!” she laughs. “The world has infinite knowledge, but an idea only lives if it is verifiable and applicable. That’s why I find chemical engineering so exciting.” And her dream is within reach: After a master’s degree comes the time for a Ph.D. Research – that’s why she came to Germany in the first place.
Isabelle Hartmann, June 18, 2026